SINGAPORE – A camp instructor who sent sexually explicit messages and an obscene photo to a 15-year-old girl he met at a school camp was jailed on Sept 1.

Ilyas Mohd Yusoff, 24, was sentenced to eight weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to sending the obscene photo to the girl on Snapchat .

He did this for sexual gratification as he wanted the victim to threaten to leak the photo to others, so that he would be aroused when he is blackmailed in this manner, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Gladys Lim.

The victim cannot be named due to a gag order to protect her identity.

In March 2023, the victim’s secondary school engaged the company where Ilyas worked to run a three-day school camp.

After the camp, Ilyas and the victim followed each other on Instagram, although his company prohibited instructors from maintaining contact with students through social media after the camp.

For around three months, Ilyas and the victim chatted on Telegram and Instagram, with Ilyas later asking the victim for her Snapchat account, so he could send her images that would disappear after a set time.

Ilyas then sent her sexually explicit messages on the platform, including those describing his sexual preferences and how he would be aroused if she threatened him.

He also asked the girl to have sex with him.

On May 1, Ilyas sent the girl the obscene photo .

Feeling disgusted and uncomfortable when she saw the photo, the girl reported the matter to her school. It was not stated in court if the photo had disappeared by that time.

Seeking a sentence of 12 to 15 weeks’ jail, DPP Lim said Ilyas had persistently engaged the girl in sexual conversations, which were explicit, prolonged and involved his asking her for sexual favours.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Ashvin Hariharan urged the court to impose a sentence of not more than six to eight weeks’ jail.

Mr Ashvin said his client was a young, first-time offender who cooperated with the authorities during investigations, hence showing his genuine remorse.

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The lawyer said there was no abuse of trust in this case: “Ilyas was not the victim’s teacher, but rather just an externally contracted camp instructor for a period of three days.

“When the victim asked him for his Instagram account during the camp, he declined. The pair only started communicating after the victim followed Ilyas’ Instagram account, which occurred after the conclusion of the camp.”

For intentionally causing a minor to observe a sexual image, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined, or both.